If you are wondering, “do I need probiotics?” Consider this: Probiotics — the healthy bacteria highlighted on most yogurt products — are being added to everything from popcorn to muffin mixes.

According to a report by Grand View Research, the market for probiotics supplements is expected to reach $7 billion in the next 7 years.

Here’s the thing: That business is built on a little bit of science…and a lot of fiction.

“There are many products labeled with the word ‘probiotic’ in the U.S., but not all are responsibly formatted or studied for health benefits,” says Mary Ellen Sanders, Ph.D., executive science officer of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics.

The science is that probiotics are good for you  — but only if you have a condition that requires their use.

That’s not something you’ll want to hear if your pantry and fridge are filled with probiotic-infused foods.  

“The benefits of probiotics in foods — especially foods that aren’t fermented dairy products — is questionable, at best,” says Shira Doron, M.D., professor of medicine and attending physician in infectious diseases at Tufts University School of Medicine.

Unfortunately, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to food, many probiotic supplements fail to live up to the promise on their label.

Unless you have a specific condition that’s been shown to benefit from probiotics, you likely don’t need them.

“There is no evidence that it is essential to take probiotics to be healthy,” Sanders adds.

Her next point may be even more important:

“You don’t need probiotics if you are healthy,” Sanders says.

The Hype (and Mythology) of Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. Most people treat probiotics the same way they would a multivitamin.

In theory, the benefit of a multivitamin is that it helps make up for deficiencies from your diet. So, if you have a good multivitamin (that’s an entirely different story), and if you don’t have a great diet, then it might offer you some benefits.

Here’s the thing:

Probiotics do not function like multivitamins.

Whereas multivitamins can have a benefit for anyone because it helps support deficiencies, probiotics are really designed to help treat, improve, or solve dysfunction.

You need probiotics if your microbiome (i.e. your gut health) is messed up. This means that taking probiotics can be very helpful if you suffer from a condition such as irritable bowel disease.

But if not, then your use of probiotics might not be doing as much good as you hoped.

The Probiotic-Gut Relationship: It’s Complicated

You might be wondering:

How does a billion dollar business get built on something as shaky as “maybe this will be good for you?”

It all starts with the extremely complex nature of your gut.

It’s so complicated that science needs much more time to figure it out. “The human microbiome may have as many as 200 trillion microorganisms and up to a thousand species,” Doron says.

That’s a lot of biological ground to cover, which is why probiotics are still a field that scientists are trying to understand.

“There are a variety of things we think happen, but we don’t know how that all works,” Doron says.

Three reasons why what you see on probiotic labels isn’t necessarily reflective of what it will do for your body:

• Different probiotics may work differently (and again, there hundreds of different types)
• Each probiotic may have more than one effect
• Not everyone responds the same way to a specific strain

Researchers are currently trying to figure out potential benefits that have shown hypothetical promise.

One theory is that when probiotics reach your gut, they digest available carbs and produce short-chain fatty acids. Those acids then fuel other beneficial microbes in your gut, in turn, producing more fatty acids.

Why should you care?

Because short-chain fatty acids are known to create a healthy microbiome, and they improve colon health.

Another theory is that when some probiotics reach your small intestine, they interact with the immune cells lining your organs. This may lead to a positive immune system response, such as a decreased incidence of respiratory tract infections or improved response to vaccines.

Sanders says some studies suggest that probiotics improve gut barrier integrity, which is why you’ll hear probiotics recommended for some digestive issues.

But, at this point, all of this is hypothetical. Probiotics might be amazing, but — in healthy people — we don’t know if they have extended benefits.

So…What Do Probiotics Really Do?

Probiotics help people with specific conditions where gut dysfunction is a problem. Consider it one of nature’s best medicines if you suffer from:

• irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease
• diarrhea and constipation associated with those conditions, or from taking antibiotics
• liver disease

Additionally, some research suggests taking specific probiotics may support immune health and potentially reduce the risk or duration of the common cold.

But, any benefit is specific to the strain of probiotic, and even the transport of the good strains is still a work in progress. That’s because we still don’t know if good strains that we can create in a supplement — or a food like yogurt — can survive the environment in your stomach and then have a positive impact in your gut.

“Any probiotic, even a combination product, is just a tiny drop in the bucket,” Doron explains. “In our group’s research, we saw that when subjects took a probiotic containing lactobacillus, we couldn’t even detect a change in lactobacillus abundance” within their gut.

What If I’m Healthy? Will Taking a Probiotic Help Me?

Always consult your doctor if you have an immune disorder or any serious underlying illness before taking a probiotic.

If you are generally healthy then there aren’t too many downsides. If you take a supplement, give it a month, trust yourself, and see how your body responds. It’s possible that you’ll feel better — but know that studies indicate the positive outcomes you experience could be a placebo effect.

“That’s worthwhile if you feel better, but it’s also expensive,” Doron says.

If you are healthy, curious, and OK with spending the extra money, feel free to try a supplement. As we mentioned, it could have benefits for immunity and creating more short-chain fatty acids to help your gut. But only time will tell if this is the case for people with no health problems.

If I have a health condition, what should I do?

First off, skip the fortified foods. And skip microbiome tests that will allegedly help you understand what probiotics you need to eat.

“At this point, an individual cannot look at their microbiota and come to conclusions about their health, Doron says. “There are still more questions than answers.”

Your best bet is to consult a doctor who understands your condition and is also well-versed in probiotics. Doron suggests researching academic medical centers and looking at the profiles of physicians in the field you need.

“Check [for doctors whose] interests include subjects like ‘probiotics’ and ‘microbiome,’” Doron says. “The field is still young, and even for the world’s experts, there are way more questions than answers when it comes to manipulating the human microbiome for health purposes. But there are certainly doctors in a variety of fields who take an interest in this area of research or do research themselves and use the knowledge they have gained in their medical practice.”

Remember, you’re trying to fix a dysfunction, which is the real health benefit of probiotics.

Follow your doctor’s recommendation down to the strain and dose. The strain will be a long name and often include a number, such as L. acidophilus NCFB 1748.

The “dose” is the big number on the label, such as 10 billion, which indicates the colony-forming units, or CFU. Higher isn’t necessarily better, so follow your doctor’s advice.

Avoid any products that list the CFU “at time of manufacture.”

“That’s a red flag,” Sanders says. Counts of the live microbes decrease over time, so you want to know the CFU through the end of shelf life.

The front of the box will typically say the total CFU count; the side label may list the CFU for each strain. Look for whichever your doctor recommends. And if the product is refrigerated at the store, keep it in the fridge at home to ensure you don’t kill off more CFU.

The last thing to look for is any seal from a third-party verification program to be sure that what the probiotic contains what the label says it does.

At this time the ISAPP is working with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) on a verification program, USP labels (ordinarily a good sign of quality) are not yet available. You may, however, find NSF International, which is legitimate. But note that statements like “quality guaranteed” do not mean they have been verified by third parties.

READ MORE: 

Understanding the Microbiome: How Gut Health Affects Your Health, Weight Loss and Mood

Wheat Belly Deception: Understanding Wheat, Insulin and Fat Loss

Are Multivitamins Right for Your Body?

The post Should You Take Probiotics? Science Says it Might Be a Waste appeared first on Born Fitness.

While that advice might seem insane (or hilarious if you’ve watched the movie Dodgeball), it was that mentality that allowed me to figure out how to stay healthy, fine-tune the art of sickness prevention, and have a simple daily routine that can provide your body with the type of insurance you want.

In my case, the “wrench” was the discovery of an autoimmune disorder. For years (nearly 20 if you can believe that), I suffered from chronic fevers that would repeatedly knock me out of commission, sometimes as long as 6 to 8 weeks, with my temperature as high as 104 degrees. It took chunks out of my teenage years, a terrible sophomore year of college, a battle during grad school, and I even chronicled “the plague” during a business trip to London.

Let’s get this myth out of the way fast: Vitamin C does not “cure” colds.

The short-end: the smallest breakdowns could cause me to become incredibly sick. I had to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Most people wait until they get sick and then try to put together recovery plans. The problem? At that point, you’ve already lost the war and are trying to win mini-battles against miserable symptoms.

The right strategy—or the only strategy, if you like feeling good—is taking preventative measures. The problem is that the wealth of health information either makes it:

• Too confusing to know what will actually make a difference
• Overwhelming to try and take 100 different pills, creams, sprays, or medications.

My approach was different: I wanted to focus less on what to do once you’re sick and more on the preventative steps that have the biggest impact on improving overall health on a day-to-day basis. If you build a strong foundation, it’s harder for anything to cause a disruption.

Here are 3 tips from some of the top immune doctors and researchers that will boost your overall health, and lessen the likelihood of any illness taking you down.

Sickness Prevention Tip #1: The Sleep Minimum

You might know that sleep plays a vital role in everything from slowing the aging process to helping with fat loss. But its biggest value might be in keeping you from becoming sick. Most people think about how much sleep they need, but it’s really the nights of little sleep that put you in the greatest danger.

Research from Finland found that just one night of sleeping less than 4 hours is enough to alter your genes, trigger an immune response, and leave you more susceptible to illness and increase inflammation. That’s because your lack of rest disrupts the immune cells that protect you from viruses.

Your Solution: You shouldn’t sleep less than 6 hours. Ever. It’s that simple. If you have trouble getting a full night’s sleep, some natural products to try include melatonin (anywhere from 1-3mg), zinc, and magnesium. While research shows that melatonin will not treat serious sleep deficiencies (like insomnia), it has been shown to reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.

Sickness Prevention Tip #2: Movement Protection

Going to the gym isn’t just for vanity. Resistance exercise might be the best way to strengthen your immune defense while you build more muscle. And if you believe science, more is better for your body.

How’s this for a crazy coincidence: researchers from Appalachian State found that people who exercise 5 or more days per week have nearly 50 percent fewer sick days than those that train only 1 time or less.

The reason is simple: exercise impacts blood flow, which also triggers an immune response that sends your internal defense system to fight pathogens that want to take you down and leave you bed-ridden.

Your Solution: Time limitations always make it hard to work out more than a few days per week, but “immune defense” workouts don’t have to be too long. British researchers found that just 25 minutes of weight training is enough to trigger your immune defense system into high gear and help with sickness prevention.

Not near a gym? No worries. Korean scientists also found that moderate exercise—like a brisk walk—can have a similar impact and decrease the likelihood of illness.

Sickness Prevention Tip #3: You Can’t Kill Colds, But You Can Help Prevent Them

Let’s get this myth out of the way fast: Vitamin C does not “cure” colds. There’s absolutely no research to suggest such a thing, and until something changes, there’s no reason to super-load the popular antioxidant once an illness hits.

In fact, for any virus, there are some restrictions on just how much you can do to prevent them other than washing your hands and avoiding “contact” with the bugs

That said, there are things you can do to help strengthen your overall immune system and assist with prevention. For example, there are some potential benefits to taking vitamin C, as well as vitamin D, B-complex vitamins, probiotics, and fish oil on a daily basis. Remember, prevention is the name of the game to better health, and these nutrient aids supply your body with what it needs to fight sickness.

Vitamin C is involved with growth development and repair of your body’s tissues. This means it helps with everything from the formation of collagen, healing would, and yes—protecting your immune system. It also helps fight against free radicals, which are linked to every bad illness or health condition imaginable.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, but among its numerous benefits is its ability to help protect against upper respiratory infections. In fact, Canadian researchers found that people who take at like 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 per week (so just about 1500 IUs per day) can cut their likelihood of illness by 50 percent.

Probiotics are linked to gut health, and the more we research the microbiome, the more we learn it might play an important role in nearly all functioning in your body. In particular, Italian scientists found that a particular probiotic strand (Lactobacillus plantarum) can slow bacterial growth and prevent inflammation.

And fish oil—while commonly taken for heart health and increased longevity—is showing promise in animal studies for immune protection by boosting the activity of your white blood cells, according to researchers from Michigan State and East Carolina. Just be aware: in this case, more is not better. Those same researchers found that super loading with omega 3 fatty acids and flip immune response in the opposite direction and make it harder to fight microbial pathogens.

Your Solution: On paper, it looks like a lot. But you have 2 options:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables, fish or plant-based sources of omega 3’s, and take a probiotic and you’re good to go.
2. Just make a smoothie first thing in the morning (or at any time) and don’t worry about it. Here’s one of my favorites:

• 6 oz water
• 6 ice cubes
• 1 scoop/packet of Ladder Chocolate Protein
• 1 packet of Ladder Greens
• 3g of liquid fish oil
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• Blend and enjoy.

Your Sickness Prevention Daily Checklist

✓ Sleep minimum 6 hours per night

✓ Aim for some exercise—minimum of 25-30 minutes—at least 4-5 days per week

✓ Antioxidants + B-vitamins + Vitamin D + Fish oil + Probiotic

Better Health…For Free?

Ever felt like your diet or workout plan just wasn’t meant for your body? Then check out the Getting Started personalization program. This free technology helps you hit the refresh button and find a better program for your needs.

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post The Science of Sickness Prevention appeared first on Born Fitness.